Chinese scientist wins the European Inventor Award 2023 with a safer lithium-ion battery

Reducing the risk of battery explosion and fire in electric vehicles

06-Jul-2023 - Germany
European Patent Office

Wu and his team are among the pioneers in the research and development of lithium-ion batteries

The European Patent Office (EPO) announced the Chinese scientist Kai Wu and his team are winners in the ‘Non-EPO countries’ category of the European Inventor Award 2023. Selected from over 600 candidates, Wu and his team developed a Li-ion battery with a top cover that acts as a barrier to mitigate battery safety risks. The invention helps ensure the safety of vehicles equipped with lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries containing a flammable electrolyte.

European Patent Office

The European Patent Office (EPO) honours the Chinese inventor for reducing the risk of battery explosion and fire in electric vehicles

"It is a great honour to win such a prestigious award, which will shine a path forward to further innovation efforts for me and CATL. What is more, electric vehicles powered by our advanced and safe batteries are enabling more people to embrace a sustainable lifestyle, contributing to the global energy transition. I hope that young inventors around the world adhere to the philosophy of learning more, doing more and asking more, to develop more innovations for the benefit of mankind,” says Kai Wu.

Li-ion batteries are more sustainable with their lighter weight, faster charging capacity, and lower heat generation, ultimately providing cleaner energy. However, overcharging Li-ion batteries has been an issue for decades in the car industry. Yet Wu and his team were able to deliver their solution to a leading car maker, in just two and a half years.

Eliminating the risk of battery overcharging

As explained by Wu, “all markets that are conducive to the reduction of carbon emissions and demand for smart development will benefit from the development of lithium-ion battery technology. In the energy storage industry, lithium-ion batteries have a broader application scenario and development space.”

To ensure the safety of high-performance NCM cells required for long driving range, Kai Wu and his team systematically revealed the pattern from gas generation, heat generation to battery failure, and invented the safety short circuit device (SSD), a protection device integrated into the top cover of the cell. The invention would stop battery charging when it is triggered by gas pressure inside the cell, which results from gas generation due to overcharging, thus eliminating the risk of battery failure caused by overcharging.

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